1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a driving apparatus and an image forming device having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A thermal transfer image forming device is a well-known type of image forming device which is able to form an enhanced quality image and extend the preservation lifespan of the formed image. The thermal transfer image forming device usually forms an image of high definition, such as a photograph, onto a recording medium, such as a recording paper.
The thermal transfer image forming device generally includes a pickup and discharging roller to pick up and discharge the recording medium, a conveying roller to reciprocally convey the picked-up recording medium, an image forming unit to form a desired image on the picked-up recording medium, a supplying roller and a winding roller to drive an ink ribbon on which a plurality of color dyes are applied, and a conventional driving apparatus to drive the components described above to operate in combination with one another. The image forming unit is provided with a thermal transfer head to transfer the color dyes applied on the ink ribbon onto the recording medium.
In operation, the recording medium is picked up through the pickup and discharging roller and is conveyed to the image forming unit by the conveying roller. The thermal transfer head of the image forming unit thermally transfers the color dyes on the ink ribbon onto the recording medium to form the desired image while the ink ribbon is conveyed by winding on the winding roller and the recording medium is conveyed by the conveying roller in the same direction as that of a conveying direction of the ink ribbon.
To operate the conveying roller, the winding roller, the pickup and discharging roller, and the thermal transfer head in combination with one another as described above, the conventional driving apparatus of the thermal transfer image forming device is configured to include a plurality of gears, a cam unit, various swing lever units, etc., thereby including a complicated power transmitting structure.
Accordingly, the conventional driving apparatus is disadvantageous in that a driving force cannot be accurately and smoothly transmitted since the conventional driving apparatus includes the complicated power transmitting structure.
Further, because of the complicated power transmitting structure, the conventional driving apparatus occupies a large space in the thermal transfer image forming device, thereby imposing restrictions on a miniaturization of the image forming device.
Also, because of the complicated power transmitting structure, the conventional driving apparatus requires high precision measurements for the gears, the cam unit, the swing lever units, etc., thereby increasing fabrication costs.